This weekend, NASCAR heads to the Kansas Speedway in Edwardsville, Kansas for their annual playoff weekend visit. Four races are on the docket, as every level of the touring series is at the track.
First, for some context behind NASCAR’s playoff system format. Throughout the regular season, each race was broken up into three stages. A driver that wins stage one or stage two of races were awarded a bonus stage point, which is carried with them throughout each round of the playoffs. Further, any driver that wins a race as a full time competitor is automatically locked into the playoffs. Once reaching the playoffs, every three races the field is reset, with each driver starting at 2000, 3000, or 4000 points, and each drivers stage point total being attributed to their total to start the round. At the end of each round, which is three races, four drivers are eliminated, or two in the truck series for the first round, based on those who are lowest below the cutline. Also, any playoff driver that wins in the playoffs is automatically locked into the next round. Come championship weekend in Phoenix, the remaining four drivers in each of the top three series compete in a one round elimination race, with the highest finisher of the group being crowned champion. For context, the Cup Series starts with 16 drivers, the Xfinity Series with 12, and the Truck Series with 10 drivers.
Looking ahead to the weekend of racing now, on Friday, a pair of races will take place, the Reese’s 150 for the ARCA Menards Series, and the Kubota Tractor 200 for the Craftsman Truck Series. The ARCA race is the lone exception of sorts this weekend, as the series does not have a playoff format. However, there is still plenty of intrigue surrounding the event. This weekend’s race at Kansas marks the penultimate race of the 2024 season, meaning a champion will be crowned within the next two weeks. Current championship leader Andres Perez has a 53 point lead over teammate Lavar Scott, and a solid finish this weekend at Kansas could clinch him a title. The 100 lap race will have plenty of other intrigue as well, as 28 cars are entered for the event. Of note, highly touted prospects Corey Day and Connor Zilisch will each be racing for Pinnacle Racing Group and Marco Andretti, grandson of racing legend Mario, are all slated to run the event. This particular race can be seen live Friday, Sept. 27 at 4:30 p.m. on FOX Sports 1.
That evening, the Craftsman Truck Series will tackle the mile and a half long track, marking their first elimination cutoff race of the playoffs. The playoff field currently sits at 10, and will be cut down to eight following the checkered flag that evening. Currently, no playoff driver has won in the Round of 10, as Layne Riggs won at The Milwaukee Mile and Bristol Motor Speedway from outside of the playoff field. That makes no driver entirely safe from elimination at Kansas, but Christian Eckes, Corey Heim, Nick Sanchez and Ty Majeski each sit over 55 points above the cutline, and almost guaranteed a spot in the next round. Moving closer to that cutline, Rajah Caruth sits 35 points to the good, with Tyler Ankrum and Taylor Gray at 25 and 23 points net positive respectively. Grant Enfinger sits closest to the cutline, and likely feels the most pressure of this group, only positive seven points. Below the cutline currently are Daniel Dye, at minus seven, and reigning champion Ben Rhodes at negative 12.
The difference between playoff racing and other playoff sports, is that the remainder of the drivers still compete week in and week out. Twenty-four non playoff drivers are entered for the race, with a plethora of fun stories throughout the field. Andretti and Day will both run the evening race, in addition to the ARCA race. Former star of Malcolm In The Middle Frankie Muniz will run the No. 22 for Reaume Brothers Racing as well. CARS Tour standout Brendan ‘Butterbean’ Queen will make his third career NASCAR start as well, coming off impressive races in the first two. Rackley WAR driver Ty Dillon will sit out this week, and for the remainder of the season, as he’s been replaced by team owner’s son, Dawson Sutton, for the season. Also of note, Riggs has the chance to be the first driver in NASCAR playoff era history to sweep a round of victories without being a part of the playoff field.
On Saturday, the Xfinity Series begins their playoffs at Kansas for the Kansas Lottery 300, after settling the field last week at Bristol. As the Round of 12 begins, Parker Kligerman, Sammy Smith, AJ Allmendinger and Sheldon Creed all sit below the cutline, but no driver is more than 12 points out, with Kligerman setting the lowest bar. Above that cutline, Justin Allgaier, Cole Custer, Austin Hill, Chandler Smith, Shane van Gisbergen, Jesse Love, Sam Mayer and Riley Herbst all start their championship pushes from the positive side of the elimination line.
However, as with the truck series, the rest of the Xfinity Series field can compete Saturday as well, adding to the races intrigue. Zilisch will make his first oval start in the series, and his second of his career, driving the No. 88 for JR Motorsports. The 18-year-old Zilisch won his series debut at Watkins Glen International two weeks ago in dominating fashion, and will look to go back to back at Kansas. Local driver Kyle Weatherman, who was born and raised in Wentzville, Missouri, will drive the No 91 for DGM Racing as well, marking another start for the driver at his home track. Saturday’s race can be seen on The CW at 2:30 p.m.
On Sunday, the stars of the Cup Series take to the track for the Hollywood Casino 400. The playoff field now moves to 12, as four drivers were eliminated last week at Bristol. Harrison Burton, Martin Truex Jr, Ty Gibbs and Brad Keselowski each found themselves on the outside looking in, and now compete with the remainder of the field without championship hopes for the rest of the season. However, 12 drivers do still remain, and four start the round below the cutoff line. Chase Briscoe, Daniel Suarez, Austin Cindric and Alex Bowman will start in elimination territory, though no driver is more than seven points out. Bowman specifically enters with plenty of momentum, gaining the most points of any playoff driver in the opening round. Sitting above the cutline is Kyle Larson, at positive 39, Christopher Bell, Tyler Reddick, William Byron, Ryan Blaney, Denny Hamlin, Chase Elliott, and Joey Logano. Logano, Elliott and Hamlin specifically, however, enter less than 10 points to the good.
Like the other two series, there is much intrigue surrounding non-playoff drivers. NASCAR legend Jimmie Johnson will make one of his rare one off appearances this weekend, driving for his own team, Legacy Motor Club, in the No. 84. Truex will run his first race outside of the playoffs in his final season as a NASCAR driver, as he will retire in seven weeks. The race will also be the first race after a rare NASCAR trade, in which Corey LaJoie and Justin Haley will be in their new rides. LaJoie will move over to the Rick Ware Racing No. 51, and Haley replaces LaJoie at the Spire Motorsports No. 7. The green flag for Sunday’s race can be seen on the USA network at 2 p.m.
For my picks, I believe that Tanner Gray will find himself victorious in Friday’s ARCA race, with Caruth winning in the Truck Series event. On Saturday, I believe Sam Mayer will be victorious in the Xfinity Series, and on Sunday, Bubba Wallace will find himself victorious at Kansas for the second time in his career.
